Ly Thuong Kiet's Poem

Ly Thuong Kiet's Poem

(From : www.vietwill.org)
In the struggle to defend Vietnam from Chinese invasion, Ly Thuong Kiet, one of Vietnam's greatest generals composed a poem that would be considered one of Vietnam's first declarations of independence. The poem is a quatrain entitled "Vietnam's Mountains and Rivers." In 1076, at the Nhu Nguyet River, during the battle with the Sung, Ly Thuong Kiet composed this poem and had it recited during the night to his soldiers, making them believe that the river god was speaking. Their morale was higher than ever; Ly's army managed to repel the attackers.

Nam quốc sơn hà

Nam quốc sơn hà Nam đế cư,

Tiệt nhiên định phận tại thiên thư.

Như hà nghịch lỗ lai xâm phạm,

Nhữ đẳng hành khan thủ bại hư.


Translation in other languages:

Modern Vietnamese Translation

Sông núi nước Nam vua Nam ở

Rành rành định phận tại sách trời

Cớ sao lũ giặc sang xâm phạm

Chúng bay sẽ bị đánh tơi bời.



English Translation

Over Mountains and Rivers of the South,
reigns the Emperor of the South,
As it stands written forever in the Book of Heaven.
How dare those barbarians invade our land?
Your armies, without pity, will be annihilated.


Chinese Version (Original)

南 國 山 河 南 帝 居
截 然 定 分 在 天 書
如 何 逆 虜 來 侵 犯
汝 等 行 看 取 敗 虛


French translation

Sur les monts et les fleuves du Sud,
règne l'Empereur du Sud.
Ainsi en a décidé à jamais le Céleste Livre.
Comment, vous les barbares, osez-vous envahir notre sol?
Vos hordes, sans pitié, seront anéanties!



Thai translation

แผ่นดินเวียตนาม กษัตริย์เวียตนามทรงอยู่
เขตแดนถูกกำหนดชัดเจนโดยสวรรค์
เหตุไฉน ศัตรูจึงมารุกล้ำ
พวกมึงจะถูกตีอย่างย่อยยับ


German translation

Das Land Vietnam, wo sein König bleibt.
Das is offensichtlich im Heiligen Buch zugeteilt.
Warum haben die Eindringlinge es überschritten?
Euch wird eine brutale Niederlage beigebracht!



Korean Translation

베트남 강산에는 베트남 왕이 산다.

그것은 바로 하늘의 뜻에 따른 운명이다.

그런데 왜 너희 원수들은 이곳을 차지하러 오는가.

너희들은 패배해서 쫓겨나갈 것이다.